The Ring of Dread
by EmmaShalforever
Summary: It's Emma Swan's birthday and all seems fine until a certain gift manages to threaten all she's come to love. One-Shot. Established SwanQueen.


Title: The Ring of Dread

Pairing: SwanQueen.

Rating: T

Summary: It's Emma Swan's birthday and all seems fine until a certain gift manages to threaten all she's come to love. One-Shot. Established SwanQueen.

AN: This is a One-Shot that is in no way related to my ongoing story. It's just an idea that's been floating around in my mind for months. I didn't think it was going to be this long as it took a lot less time to go throught it in my head :P Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Emma Swan has never had the grand birthday parties surrounded by friends and families and gifts. And so she tries her best to hide how uncomfortable she is at all the happy people surrounding her at Granny's diner to celebrate her 30th birthday.

In truth, she would have much preferred a quiet evening in with Regina and Henry, enjoying the amazing food the brunette can cook and teaming up with their son to beat the former Queen at games.

But being Snow White and Prince charming's daughter, as well as the Savior, means there's no chance of that happening.

The gifts she's opening seems endless and even though she's grateful for all the people who now care about her, she really wants to get this over with so she can taste that divine looking cake her girlfriend has baked for her.

She tried pleading with her mom for a quiet celebration, but Snow was having none of it, stating that she could do that any other time and that she wanted to make her first birthday with her daughter memorable, since unforeseen circumstances had prevented her from being able to celebrate her 29th.

The only reason she gave up arguing with her mother, was because Snow reluctantly agreed to keep Henry for the night after Regina silently promised her a real party just for two after the celebration if she behaved.

And so now she's opening present after present and smiling gratefully and thanking everyone, while hoping time will go by faster so she can have that long anticipated private time with the mayor.

A look of curiosity crosses her features as the Fairy Godmother – how weird is that – hands her a small box that Emma immediately associates with jewelry.

When she opens it, there's a simple silver ring with some sort of green diamond in the middle.

"Thank you," the blonde says somewhat confused as she looks at the ring and people begin to murmur, but her focus is on the woman just to her left that has suddenly gone rigid and still.

"What is it?" she asks the fairy and she's aware of a small voice in the back of her mind telling her it's a stupid thing to ask because it's obvious that it's a ring. But since she has learned that magic is real, she's become aware that things often have other uses than just what it appears to be for.

"It's an enchanted ring," Mother Superior starts, drawing the sheriff's attention away from Regina so she can fully focus on the woman explaining the ring to her.

"If you wish for it, the ring will always lead you to your True Love."

Realization dawns on her at the words as she suddenly understands Regina's reaction to the gift. Quickly she looks to her side, only to find it devoid of the brunette, and with a growing sense of dread she searches the crowd surrounding her for the familiar face of her girlfriend. But the mayor is nowhere to be found.

"Did you know about this?" Emma asks her mother sternly, her anger flaring rapidly at the somewhat guilty look her mother takes on.

"It's a great gift Emma-" she starts, but the sheriff doesn't want to hear it.

"I know you don't like that I'm with Regina, but this was a really shitty thing to do," the blonde grits out, ignoring that the whole place has fallen silent at her outburst.

"Emma, I only want-"

"Save it," she snarls as she rises quickly and stalks towards the exit, the small crowd of people parting wisely to let her through.

When the door slams shut, Snow shrinks uncomfortably in her seat as all eyes turn to her, some filled with accusation, some with confusion.

* * *

As she runs outside to try to catch Regina, the blonde's mind is whirling. When she doesn't spot the woman anywhere she's disappointed, but then she spots the mayor's car - the one they came in and were supposed to leave in together – and her stomach drops. If Regina teleported away from the diner, the situation is even worse than she feared.

Without thinking, she starts running down the street, knowing how crucial it is to get to her girlfriend as soon as possible. Not for the first time, but definitely for the most important time, the sheriff regrets that she has been so firm about not wanting to learn to use the magic she possesses.

Her breath sounds loud to her own ears and she starts to sweat, her side showing early signs of stitches, but all she can focus on is to press onward.

She almost misses a step in surprise when a car drives up close beside her, but doesn't pass, instead slowing to follow her run. When she looks over she sees Archie motioning for her to get inside and she comes to an abrupt stop, clutching her side even as she scrambles to open the door and throw herself in.

They don't say anything the whole ride, Emma's slowly decreasing breaths the only sound in the car.

"Thanks," she says when he stops outside the mansion and he just gives her a knowing and encouraging smile as she shuts the door.

* * *

"Regina," the blonde yells as soon as she lets herself inside the house. There's no answer, not that she's really expecting it.

She calls again anyway. The silence that greets her feels pressing and she tosses off her boots haphazardly, preparing to search the whole place for the woman she knows is hiding here somewhere.

It's with some surprise then, that she walks into the living room to find the brunette poised in one of the chairs, looking oddly calm, if not a little stiff.

She would have rather preferred to find the woman yelling or throwing things about; anything other than the look of detachment she sees as she bends down at the former Queen's feet.

"Hey," Emma says softly, one hand moving to gently touch a thigh where it meets knee.

The mayor blinks out of her stupor and looks at the woman kneeling before her.

"That was fast," she rasps, her voice betraying her appearance of indifference.

"You okay?"

"Do I look okay to you," the brunette snaps before she catches herself and clears her throat. "I'm fine, dear, why shouldn't I be?"

Emma scowls at the abrupt change, her heart beating faster as she recognizes that this is a Regina that's more like the Evil Queen than mayor, mother and girlfriend. This means there's no way of knowing how the woman will react to the things she says or does and that she has to thread very carefully.

"Talk to me," she pleads, trying to gain eye contact with the other woman as her hand moves to tangle with the brunette's own, only to be pushed away crudely. Emma can't hide the hurt at the gesture, but it goes unnoticed as the other woman refuses to meet her gaze.

"What's there to talk about?"

It's said way too casually for the sheriff's liking and she has to fight the urge to grab the other woman and shake her so she can get some kind of reaction from her. This emotionless woman sitting before her is unnerving.

"I don't know, how about the fact you suddenly left and are now acting like you barely know me," the blonde blurts out in frustration, waiting for the sarcasm or disdain at her outburst that usually comes. The other woman barely seems to notice the words.

"I'm so sorry if I inconvenienced you. I'll be fine so you can be on your way now," the former Queen says dismissively, her voice dripping with fake sympathy and care.

"What the fuck Regina," Emma asks angrily as she stands hastily and for the briefest moment their eyes meet. The anguish she sees reflected in brown eyes makes her anger evaporate immediately.

"Forget the stupid ring okay? We can throw it away," she begs, reaching for the other woman again, only to rear back quickly when the brunette flinches.

For long moments the sheriff stands in silence, chewing nervously at her bottom lip as one hand scratches the other, not knowing what to do with herself.

"It's too late, you'll never be able to forget it now," Regina whispers sadly and the other woman barely manages to catch the words.

"Regina-" she starts, but she doesn't really know what to say to that.

"Will you do me a favor?"

"Anything," Emma promises immediately before her mind can warn her that it probably won't be something good.

"When you use it, make sure I'm not around. And don't tell me who it is."

"Wha-" the blonde asks, unwilling to comprehend what the other woman just said and what it means. She's not sure how long she stands there, gaping at the seated woman, but suddenly Regina is pushing herself up from the couch and forcing the blonde to take a step back.

"You can find your own way out," the mayor states as she cups the other woman's cheek sadly and brushes her lips softly against shocked ones.

"Goodbye," she whispers brokenly before walking slowly, painfully away from the woman she has come to care so much about, willing herself to not look back at the blonde woman frozen in her living room as she ascends the stairs with heavy feet, finding it strangely ironic that for every step she takes it feels like she's walking further and further away from her heart that seems to be left behind in that room.

* * *

Everything around her seems to be a blur and Emma can't remember much of what happened between Regina's mansion and the diner. Everything looks the same and her body and mind feels numb. It's like her brain has pushed a pause button and she can't take in her surroundings anymore.

The diner is mostly empty when she slowly opens the door and trudges inside. Apparently she's been gone a while and the townspeople found the party pretty pointless when the one being celebrated departed so abruptly.

She doesn't even know who has stayed behind and she doesn't care. All she's aware of is her son – their son – running and wrapping her in a hug as he asks her if she's okay.

And for the first time since she left Regina behind, she realizes that she isn't, and she clings to Henry like a lifeline as she sobs into his hair, knowing that she shouldn't let the kid see her so broken, but also knowing there's no energy left in her to pretend with him.

He doesn't seem to mind though, just hugging her tighter, which in turn only makes her cry harder and it's alarming that she has to support herself on him to not crumble to the ground.

"I'm sorry," she says as she loosens her grip on him and tries to dry the tears that are still leaking from her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she repeats as he guides her to a booth and she buries her face in her hands, trying to get a grip on herself so she hopefully doesn't scar the kid for life.

"I'm sorry," she sniffs at him when he gives her a napkin and takes one of her hands between his own in support.

She blows her nose in embarrassment and wipes her eyes quickly as she squeezes his hands still clutching hers in gratitude as she finally starts to become aware of her surroundings.

Granny is nowhere in sight and Ruby is making herself scarce behind the counter, but on the other side of the room her father is trying his best to reassure a silently crying Snow.

_Good, she deserves it_, her mind says defiantly as her anger flares, but it ebbs away quickly. She has no energy for resentment right now either it seems.

Besides, she finds it hard to believe her mother would have let the fairies give her that ring if she knew this was what would come of it.

"Here, on the house," Ruby says as she sets a glass with a rich brown color on the table in front of the sheriff. Emma downs the whole thing in one, letting the whiskey that burns in her throat bring back some sense of feeling to her limbs.

_Did Regina just break up with me? Over a goddamn ring?_

It seems incredulous and like a vast overreaction from the other woman, but then she remembers what the ring does. And the only reason the sheriff can think of that would make the brunette react so badly is that the former Queen is convinced she can't be Emma's True Love.

The whole thing seems utterly ridiculous to her, but then she's about the only one here that doesn't come from fairy tale land. Because apparently True Love is real, like so many other things that shouldn't be.

Maybe she could just pretend she never got the ring? She could manage to forget it right? Regina's words ring in her ears.

'_It's too late. You'll never be able to forget it now._'

And reluctantly, she has to admit that it's the truth. If she ignores the ring or throws it away, she'll always come back to ask herself if Regina is indeed her 'True Love'. And the uncertainty would grate on her until she couldn't stand not knowing anymore.

It would always be there like a constant wall between them, and it wouldn't be fair to either of them to keep being together if the knowledge of the ring would keep them from committing fully to their relationship because some small doubt would always be present.

Admitting the truth hurts and she has to fight a new batch of tears that threatens to brake free.

She tries to smile reassuringly as Henry squeezes her hand, trying to comfort her without really knowing why his birth mother is falling apart. He barely manages to suppress his urge to ask what's going on; the only reason he doesn't because he's never seen Emma look so lost and broken so he has no idea what to do to make it better.

"Emma," Snow whispers and the sheriff turns her head slightly to look at her mother standing just out of her reach, a look of despair and torture in her eyes.

"If I had known, I never would have-" the dark haired woman tries to explain. There's so much she wants to tell her daughter to make her understand how sorry she is, but the words won't come out.

"I know," the blonde says softly, trying to smile to let the other woman know she understands, but it comes out as more of a grimace. Smiling feels too hard right now.

"Can you take Henry with you? I need some time for myself."

Snow nods her assent even as the boy starts to protest. There's no way he's going to leave his mother in such a fragile state, but he can't deny her when she pleads with him either. So he reluctantly lets James lead him and Snow out of the diner, but not before he's given the blonde the biggest hug he can manage.

Emma smiles sadly when Ruby sets the bottle of whiskey down in front of her before shaking her head in the negative. Getting drunk is tempting, but isn't going to solve anything. Come morning, she'll still feel just as broken and hurt.

"Just tell me when you want to close up and go home yeah?"

Ruby nods as she removes the bottle and disappears behind the counter again, leaving the sheriff to stare blankly ahead as she wills her mind to process what has happened and what she should do now.

After some time, the brunette sits down opposite Emma and wordlessly hands her a huge cup of cocoa.

They each sit silently and sip their drinks for long moments, the blonde finding Ruby's presence and muteness comforting.

"So what are you gonna do?" the brunette asks when the sheriff takes the last gulp of her hot chocolate.

"I have no idea," Emma sighs, finding the table she's sitting at uncharacteristically fascinating.

"Part of me wants to go back to Regina and tell her I don't care about the stupid ring, but another part wants to figure out who it thinks is my 'True Love'," she states with air quotes, rolling her eyes at the whole thing.

"Could you?" Ruby asks and the blonde sends her a questioning look, silently telling her to explain.

"Could you not care about the ring now that you know?"

"No," the sheriff exclaims angrily as she lets her head fall down in her hands and closes her eyes in frustration.

"But I'm terrified of what the ring will show me," she continues as she stares firmly down at the table. "I don't know what I will do if it doesn't tell me it's Regina."

"Wow, you really love her don't you?" the brunette states in awe and Emma scowls at the look of surprise on the other woman's face.

"I'm sorry," Ruby says quickly at the look she gets. "I'm not saying it because I don't think anyone can love Regina or anything, because she's a lot easier to be around after she got together with you - even if she's still just as scary. It's just, you're kind of two of the most damaged people I know in this town."

The brunette just shrugs her shoulders helplessly at the glare she receives, smiling at the defeated sigh the sheriff releases after a moment.

"So what do I do?" Emma asks timidly, feeling like a 5 year old being asked to choose between one of her favorite toys, something that is just impossible to do.

"Personally, I think I'd just get it over with," Ruby replies slowly as she weights the options. "I mean, you already feel like shit right? So better to just do it now than to wait until you can piece yourself together and then fall apart again if it doesn't tell you what you want?"

The blonde can't deny the logic in that. Right now it doesn't feel like she can break any more than she already has when Regina broke up with her. And there's no way she's going to risk falling apart again if she can avoid it.

"I think you just want to get me out of here so you can close and go home," Emma replies with a half- smile, glad when the other woman decides to humor her and confirms it even though they both know it's not the only reason.

* * *

When Emma steps outside, it's dark. She looks up at the clear night sky and takes a couple of deep, steadying breaths before she lets her hand move inside her jacket-pocket and close around the tiny box. She takes it out and opens it slowly, looking at the simple ring with the crystal that almost appears black because of the little light around her.

With trembling fingers she pulls it out of its confinement and just holds it, unable to actually put it on.

She closes her eyes briefly and takes another deep breath before she resolutely places it on her left ring finger, dreading what will come next. She frowns confused when nothing happens.

Right, she has to wish for it to show her her 'True Love.' She tries to say it out loud, but the words won't come out. She barely has the will to think it, let alone say it. Because if the ring isn't gonna take her to Regina, then she doesn't really want it to take her anywhere.

Frustrated, Emma wipes at her eyes as she feels tears threatening again. She has to get it over with. The blonde braces herself before willing the ring on her finger to take her to her 'True Love.'

At first, nothing seems to happen. But then a faint glow comes from the stone and the sheriff starts walking to her right, almost shrieking as there's a flicker of brighter green coming from the stone. Out of curiosity, she turns and starts to move in the other direction. The green sheen almost disappears completely before glowing weakly, clearly indicating that it's the wrong way to go.

With a sigh, Emma resigns herself to her fate and starts walking aimlessly around, staring intently at the ring so it can guide her.

For each street she passes, the blonde feels her heart beat nervously and her stomach knotting excitingly as she notices she's moving away from the center of the town.

She's too scared to really hope, but the ring is moving her the way she would go if she were to go to Regina's mansion and God, she can't think of anything she's wanted more in her life than for this to be the truth.

The closer she gets to 108 Mifflin Street the more nervous she becomes, fighting with her mind to not get her hopes up and trying to keep from throwing up at the jitters in her stomach. She can't remember the last time she's felt like such a wreck, the suspense near unbearable.

When she can just make out the big mansion in the distance, her heart feels like it's about to beat out of her chest and for a moment she's absolutely sure she's going to throw up. It's just too much.

But she has to finish this now.

Emma stops abruptly when she reaches the entrance that will lead her up to the Mayor's front door. She just can't get herself to take the few steps forward that will show her if the ring is indeed leading her to Regina.

She tries weekly to tell her legs to move, but they refuse. Why had she thought she could do this? And the nausea hits her again full force.

_Don't throw up, don't throw up,_ the blonde repeats to herself as she forces herself to start walking down the path to the mansion's front door.

* * *

The door bell's ringing is incessant and somewhere in the back of her mind, Regina finds it annoying. It's been singing for around five minutes now, but she's ignoring it, having no energy to get up and face the person on the other side.

"Regina."

Great, now there's yelling too. With a wail, the brunette throws a pillow over her ear to try and shut out the voice calling for her, willing the other woman to disappear and leave her alone in her misery.

It doesn't take long before the yelling and the ringing stops, but the silence that follows doesn't soothe the mayor. Knowing the sheriff, there's no way she just gave up and left.

With a start, Regina throws off her pillow and listens intently for some indication that what she thinks she heard is real and not just her imagination.

No, there's definitely scrambling coming from somewhere under her window.

Cautiously, the brunette rises from her bed, inching slowly and silently closer to her window, trying to prepare herself for what she can find.

She lets out a cry of surprise and disbelief when a blonde head pops into view.

"Miss Swan, what the hell do you think you're doing?" she shouts after she clambers to open her window and almost throws the woman inside to safety.

"I needed to talk to you and you weren't answering," the blonde pants as she tries to compose herself.

"For a reason Miss Swan," Regina shrieks. "You can't just climb around when someone doesn't answer the door."

Emma throws up her hands in pretend surrender.

"I know, I'm sorry. But this is important," she supplies as she moves to grasp the other woman's hands. For a moment the mayor looks down silently at their clasped hands before she scowls and wrenches her own away, wrapping them protectively around herself.

"You promised you wouldn't use it around me," Regina says with accusation, her anger overshadowing her hurt.

"I know-" the blonde starts to interject, but she's cut off.

"You promised you wouldn't tell me who it was."

"Trust me, you want to know," Emma says quickly, but the other woman doesn't seem to hear or is choosing to ignore her.

"Why can't you leave me alone?" the brunette asks desperately and for a brief moment Emma sees a broken woman filled with despair, pleading with her to do as she asks.

"Because you want to see what I'm about to show you," the sheriff replies softly, giving her best reassuring smile when brown eyes flicker over to her curiously before looking away again.

"Please, Regina. Trust me just this one time," Emma pleads as she grips the other woman's face firmly between her own hands, forcing their eyes to lock.

For long moments they stare intently at each other, neither wavering, before the brunette sighs in defeat.

With a relieved smile, the sheriff excitedly holds up the hand with the ring in front of the other woman and wishes for it to show them her True Love. This time it happens immediately and the stone flares to life with a vibrant green. The blonde shows it to Regina proudly.

"I…I don't understand."

"I think it's pretty obvious," Emma replies with a smile, confused when Regina shakes her head.

"No…It's not possible. It can't be."

"Why not?" the blonde questions confused, her brows furrowing slightly. In her mind, the brunette should be thrilled at the news and kissing her right about now.

"True Love goes both ways. Mine was Daniel."

"Well, maybe you can have several? Or maybe…he wasn't yours?" Emma says softly, knowing that even after all this time, the former Queen's stable boy is a sore subject to be threaded lightly upon.

Not surprisingly, Regina sends her a glare, but she doesn't argue for once.

"It shouldn't be possible," the brunette says instead and the only way Emma can describe how the other woman looks, is utterly confused.

"Well it is. The ring doesn't lie right?"

The mayor nods once to affirm what the blonde is saying, but remains quiet, the look of confusion still lining her face.

"I thought you'd be happy," the sheriff whispers disappointed when the silence becomes unbearable, her mind finally catching up to the fact that Regina might not undo her decision earlier that evening after all. It brings a new kind of ache to her heart and chest and suddenly she has to fight back tears again.

The brunette looks quickly at the other woman at the words and feels her chest constricting at the hurt she sees written on the other woman's face.

"Emma, I-"

"No, you listen to me now," the sheriff says hotly, her anger allowing her to temporarily ignore the pain she feels.

"I get that this is a lot to take in. I'm not exactly thrilled at the pressure this ring puts on me, but I'm not running away even though almost every part of me tells me that I should."

The blonde stops to take a breath and swipe away tears of frustration. She's glad that the other woman seems to actually listen for once and doesn't say anything.

"I know that we didn't get together on the best of terms, but somewhere along the way I fell in love with you and you made me want to change. And I was so happy. And I know you were too. We deserve to be happy. So why won't you let us?"

Emma is relieved to feel that the tears threatening to fall are gone now, but she's none too happy that instead she finds herself pleading with the other woman. She's never been a big fan of begging. Still, if it's what she has to do to get Regina back, it's a small price to pay.

"Emma-"

"Wait, before you say anything. There are reasons you're not allowed to come up with."

The former Queen raises her brows in challenge.

"You can't use the town as an excuse. Most people here don't want to kill you anymore. They see that you've changed."

Emma looks pointedly at the other woman, daring her to contradict her.

"And don't bother with your past either. I know what you've done, you've told me, but I don't care. _Everyone_ deserves to find happiness. "

Regina starts to open her mouth to no doubt protest, but the blonde is not going to let her.

"And don't say you don't deserve me because neither of us are saints and no matter how much we drive each other crazy, we _work_."

With a sigh, Regina walks the few steps over to her bed and sits down, missing the blonde's proud smirk at obviously having removed most of the excuses the other woman was going to use.

The mayor should have expected it really. After all, they've been together for almost a year now and there's no denying that the sheriff knows her better than anyone has for a very long time. Knows her fears and her doubts, what makes her tick and what the other woman can get away with and not. It's nice to have someone that knows how you'll react so they can avert a possible disaster or lend their support.

But only hours earlier her life was falling apart and she had, for the first time in her life since Daniel was taken from her, wished for death.

The knowledge that she would never be with Emma Swan again and would have to see her with someone else had made living seem unbearable. And that means that somewhere along the way she has fallen in love with the blonde too.

But there is no way she would survive feeling this broken and lost again. The easiest thing to do would be to just break it off now so she can be sure to never hurt like this again.

"Hey, talk to me," Emma pleads, and the brunette is surprised to find the other woman kneeling once again in front of her, finding herself actually debating over whether to indulge the other woman or not.

"I'm scared," the former Queen says after a moment. "I don't want to risk feeling like this again. It hurts."

"I know," the blonde agrees quickly. "I'm scared too. But don't you think it's better to be happy and risk getting hurt a few times than to be miserable because we're cowards?"

It's said on purpose, the sheriff knowing perfectly well how much the other woman despises being called anything that can be attributed to being weak.

"There will always be things that make me doubt, Emma. It's not fair to put you through that."

"There's an easy solution to that you know. I just won't let you push me away no matter what next time."

The former Queen can't hide a tiny smile of annoyance and amusement at the words, knowing that it's exactly what the sheriff will indeed do if there comes a next time. Sometimes, stubbornness can be a good thing.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Regina asks, recognizing that there's no way she can get the other woman to change her mind. Secretly, she doesn't want to anyway. Emma was right when she said the brunette had been happy with her.

"There's only a few things I'm absolutely sure of right now. I love Henry and I love you. And I would do anything to make sure you're both safe and happy."

Tears are slowly falling down the brunette's cheek, something Emma has only seen 3 times before. Gently, she wipes them away, smiling reassuringly at the other woman and almost falling off her feet when Regina surges forward to claim her lips.

She kisses back as best she can, savoring the firmness of lips and tongue against her own.

"I love you," Regina whispers softly when they break apart for air and the blonde barely has time to grin at the confession before she's tugged forward so she lands on top of the other woman in bed, their mouths claiming each other hungrily.


End file.
